In a few days, Egypt's new cabinet is expected to be announced. At least this is what newly-appointed Prime MinisterHisham Qandilsaid at a press conference Thursday, before he attended the final meeting of the cabinet of his predecessor, outgoing premier Kamal El-Ganzouri.

"The names nominated for each portfolio will be finalised and presented to PresidentMohamed Morsiby Friday," Qandil told attendees of Thursday's press gathering, adding that some posts had already been assigned.

On Wednesday, presidential spokesman Yasser Ali said that the official announcement of the new government could be expected by the middle of next week.

Both Ali and Qandil confirmed that some ministers in Ganzouri's cabinet would remain, while others were expected to be replaced.

"No clear reasons have been given about why some ministers will leave their posts while others will stay. This is a clear violation of the people's right to know," said Emad Mubarak of Egyptian NGO the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE).

The AFTE issued a statement on Wednesday criticising the way in which the president chose his first prime minister. The group also called for transparency, demanding that all state institutions should be committed to announcing their decisions and explaining clearly to the public why these decisions were made.

"Now Qandil – if he is really the one who chooses the ministers of his cabinet – is committing the same mistake," says Mubarak. "We are left trying to understand what is really going on from speculation and leaks. This, I say, is undemocratic."

For Mubarak and many others, the explanations given by Egypt's new premier are not convincing or reassuring.

Qandil, at his Thursday press conference, said that "some of the current ministers will be asked to stay after making sure they are willing to continue to work on achieving the president's electoral programme."

Morsi, who was the head of the Muslim Brotherhood'sFreedom and Justice Party, ran for the presidency under the Brotherhood's "Renaissance" programme, which was put together by the group's strongman and first-choice presidential candidateKhairat El-Shater. This implies that those ministers who agree to carry out the presidential project will have Brotherhood sympathies.

Qandil added that the new government should be formed of a homogeneous team "that can work together to achieve the demands of the revolution." This is widely understood to mean that that the president, prime minister and his administration must share the same political affiliations.

Both criteria have sparked fear within Egypt's political arena, with some political forces deciding not to participate in any government formed by Morsi and Qandil.

Emad Gad, of theEgyptian Social Democratic Party, told Ahram Online Thursday that "the success of Qandil's government is the responsibility of Morsi as a president, his Freedom and Justice Party and the Muslim Brotherhood. Therefore, there is no doubt that the coming government will represent the FJP and the Brotherhood's agenda."

For his part, Qandil, who describes himself as a devout Muslim, has repeatedly denied, since assuming the presidential post, that he belongs to any political Islamist group.

"I'm not a member of the Brotherhood and I was never a member of any political party," Qandil reiterated on Thursday,adding that the selectionof his ministers would be based on the nominees' efficiency and competency, not on their political or religious affiliations.

Qandil also denied that there was a quota for FJP party members in the new government, affirming a similar statement posted on Twitter on Thursday by FJP Vice-Chairman Essam El-Erian, who also refuted claims that that he himself had been offered a portfolio.

This is despite the fact that the head of the Brotherhood's administrative office in Alexandria, Medhat El-Hadad, said Tuesday thatten ministerial postshad been set aside for FJP party members.

Furthermore, economist and FJP memberAbdallah Shehata told Ahram OnlineThursday that the ministers of trade and industry, finance, and planning would be chosen by the FJP, even if FJP members themselves were not appointed to the positions in question.

Shehata also affirmed that the newly-appointed prime minister had been on the list of preferred nominees that the FJP initially presented to the president.

Consequently, many believe that ministry appointments will not escape the domination of the Brotherhood and its political party.

Nevertheless, the new cabinet is expected to include at least two Copts from the Ganzouri government: Tourism Minister Mounir Fakhry Abdel-Nour and Scientific Research Minister Nadia Zakhary, both of whom met with Qandil on Wednesday.

Other indications show that veteran Minister of Planning and International CooperationFayza Abul-Naga, who has held the post for 11 years, will not be reappointed aftershe announced Thursday that she would not be a part of Qandil's cabinet. The military council's "strong woman" had been expected to remain in the position despite criticism from various political groups.

Ultimately, Egypt will have to wait until Friday to see whether the Brotherhood's FJP will enjoy the lion's share of the coming government.

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Please Wait

3

Jisan

27-07-2012 04:09pm

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15+

Joke!

This is a joke. A party which has won two elections and still you think the opposition will dominate the government! from where did you hire this idea? Don't you see how governments are formed in other democratic countries?? May be the fear of the secularists is caused by the long absence of democracy in Egypt.

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TH

28-07-2012 01:48pm

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7+

You are right, BUT........

I agree that Egypt as a country is not used to democracy. I also agree that a party that fairly wins an election Has the right to form a government . Unfortunately, the FJP has not shown they can be trusted. Morsi himself promised a PM with strong economic background to help us get back on our feet. Then he named a neophyte. He promised dates and commitments that he has not delivered. Not a good start. Are we sure that we will be able to replace him in 4 years ? Egyptians, let's hold them accountable and challenge them. This is true democracy. Let's not treat Morsi and FJP as new Pharos and but blind trust. Stand up and be heard .

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Isa

27-07-2012 02:40pm

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14+

Absurd

This is absurd. Brotherhood won the elections and they will appoint ministers from other parties! Can you show any such example in any other country??

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A woman

29-07-2012 10:17pm

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0+

Nonsense

Isa, you are completely wrong. In each and every single democratic country the ministers are definitively NOT only from the winning party. Look just for example to most of European countries and a lot of other ones all over the world. You should inform yourself better before telling such a nonsense.

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Ahmed Salam

27-07-2012 04:24am

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Democracy

Why should FJP should not have their Lion's share in the Govt. The have majority in parliment. Any where in the world the party who wins the election will have their cabinet representing their party 90%. FJP who are democratically elected should be given chance. If they do not perform then they should be thrown out in the next election. Instead of criticizing, cooperate so that things move forward and progress is made.